There has been no shortage of excitement in Australian politics in recent years. Treachery, back-stabbing, scandals and defections are among the staples of Australian democracy (which one might now instinctively misspell as demo-crazy). Read more
Recently the government announced it would fund KickStart, a breakfast-in-schools programme designed specifically for decile 1 to 4 schools. The announcement was generally well received but did raise an uncomfortable question: is it the state’s role to feed people’s kids? Read more
Has the Australian Labor Party (ALP) lost the plot? The evidence suggests as much after the governing party’s fifth successful leadership coup in 10 years returned Kevin Rudd to the office of Prime Minister on Wednesday. Read more
After decades of loose discussions about a trans-Atlantic common market, serious talks on a free trade agreement between the US and the EU are finally about to begin. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will formally start to take shape with a first round of negotiations in Washington on July 8. Read more
As Kiwis watch Kevin Rudd's re-elevation to the Australian prime ministership, one curious thing becomes clear: this leadership bid had nothing to do with policy, but Mr Rudd's character, and backbenchers afraid of losing their seats. To understand why Julia Gillard failed so miserably as prime minister, one must understand the shortcomings of Mr Rudd. Read more
As Kiwis watch Kevin Rudd's re-elevation to the Australian prime ministership, one curious thing becomes clear: this leadership bid had nothing to do with policy, but Mr Rudd's character, and backbenchers afraid of losing their seats. To understand why Julia Gillard failed so miserably as prime minister, one must understand the shortcomings of Mr Rudd. Read more
Finally, exceptional primary school teachers can see an opportunity to be recognised for their hard work in the classroom. The primary teachers’ union, the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), recently announced the introduction of what is essentially performance-based pay. Read more
It is one of those ideas that come up again and again without ever being properly scrutinised – that a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) like Norway’s is a fantastic idea that deserves to be copied elsewhere, even in New Zealand. Last week, the National Business Review reported that Methanex New Zealand chief executive Harvey Weake is making the case for a Norwegian-style SWF. Read more
Should children be learning knowledge or skills? People argue as if one is more important than the other. Read more
When the opposition released its report on Monday into the inquiry of the so-called manufacturing crisis, it was hard not to be underwhelmed. Manufacturing: The New Consensus argues that New Zealand manufacturing is in a parlous state and that several key government interventions are required to help the sector. Read more
If you have not noticed it yet, 2013 is the International Year of Statistics. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Statistics New Zealand invited me to speak at a breakfast event on the trustworthiness of statistics. Read more
The weekend after the Australian federal election, on September 22, Germany will go to the polls. Speculation about the potential outcome lacks any excitement value. Read more
If someone asked you how much of New Zealand was built upon, what would your guess be? 5% or 10%? Read more
I was told the story of a teacher in Ontario who reluctantly participated in a project to improve her students’ learning. After several months she found that “her students performed better than she had even expected herself.” When she told her story, she wept. Read more
Privatisation provides an interesting case study for free-marketeers. Almost everyone is opposed to the notion, yet those same people often buy the stock. Read more